Case FAQs

How do I run a search?

There are a number of search parameters you can use to restrict the number of cases that willl be returned or just click on search to have all the cases listed. The search parameters that are most useful are gender, age when last seen and ethnic appearance. This information can be entered into the fields on the home page or use the case search tab. There is an advanced search facility where you can enter the location where last seen.

What cases are included?

All unidentified cases, including bodies, remains and alive individuals found in the UK will be eligible for publicising on the website. However, cases within the categories outlined below will generally be excluded from inclusion unless specifically requested by the force/Coroner involved:

Babies (aged one year and under)

Murder investigations (or where this is suspected)

Partial remains where it is deemed there would be little value in publicity (e.g. single bones)

Other cases may also be considered inappropriate for the website, although the intention is to publicise cases on the site unless there is a reason not to.

Is my information confidential?

Any information provided to the Bureau as to who the person may be has to be passed to the police/coroner for investigation but your details will not be provided to them unless without that information the police/coroner can not proceed with the investigation.

How quickly is a case entered on the website?

This will depend on the police/coroner who may wish to carry out their initial investigations first before giving permission for the case to be entered on the website. Some cases will not be included at all – see ‘What cases are included’.

How does the search on 'Age' work?

When using 'Age' to search our records we create a possible range of ages based upon the age and date last seen values provided. For the lower end of this range we take the age provided and remove 5 years. For the upper end we add 5 years, plus the difference between the date last seen and the date found. The range allows us to ensure that any discrepancies in the identified age are accounted for.